Trio accused of stealing baby still in custody

18 Mar 2019 17:30pm

WINDHOEK, 18 MAR (NAMPA)  The three people accused of allegedly kidnapping a six-month-old baby at Epupa in the Kunene Region in May 2017 are still in custody in Opuwo.
This was confirmed to Nampa upon enquiry on Monday by State Prosecutor Obert Masendeke.
Dirk Rinovita, 39; Ngombe Tjambiru, 27; and Tjiposa Tjikundi, age unknown, were granted bail on 29 June 2017, but have not yet paid to be released.
The first accused, Rinovita was granted bail of N.dollars 15 000 while the other two accused each received bail of N.dollars 5 000, the prosecutor said.
The bail was after reconsideration reduced from N.dollars 15 000 to N.dollars 12 000 for Rinovita, while that of his co-accused was reduced to N.dollars 3 000.
The trio is being charged with theft, kidnapping and human trafficking.
Their latest court appearance was on Friday when their case was postponed to 24 June to allow the State time to apply for the protection of vulnerable witnesses.
Some of the State witnesses have not been exposed to a court environment, something which makes them uncomfortable, Masendeke explained.
The baby was reportedly stolen from her Angolan mother, Ndjinaveva Kauyekua, who was visiting relatives in the village at the time of the incident early in May 2017.
(NAMPA)
UT/EK/AS